In 2008 I began a blog.  I named it Labyrinthine Mind inspired by the beautiful poem “Hound of Heaven” by Francis Thompson.  It felt awkward broadcasting my ideas and thoughts into cyberspace.  Who would read? I only posted four times in 2008, even less the following year. Starting on April 2010 however I began to write on a consistent manner.  I was writing homilies every week and soon after I began to write for the diocesan newspaper.  I have now... Read more

Today’s Gospel passage, along with the passages we will hear for the next two Sundays, are some of the most beautiful passages of the Gospels. All three tell a similar story: the unraveling of faith in a human soul.  All three narrate the story of a person who when encountering Christ, comes to believe in Him.  Today we have the Samaritan woman, next week the man born blind and the following week Martha, the sister of Lazarus. The Samaritan woman... Read more

Hace unos años mientras caminaba por la Plaza Mayor de Madrid me detuve a admirar los hermosos edificios y tomar algunas fotos.  Al estar detenido, escuché una conversación entre dos hombres mayores sentados en una mesa afuera uno de los muchos cafés.  Bebían su café calientito en la tarde fría con boinas sobre sus cabezas. Uno le dijo al otro, “¿arrepentirme de qué? ¿Si yo no tengo nada de que arrepentirme? En toda mi vida no he hecho nada malo.”... Read more

Several years ago I was cutting through the Plaza Mayor of Madrid, Spain.  I stopped to admire the beautiful buildings and to take some pictures. As I did this, I overheard a conversation happening between two elderly men sitting at a table outside one of the many cafés.  It was a chilly afternoon, both were drinking coffee and wearing a traditional Spanish cap on their heads. One of them stated loudly in a bitter tone, “Repent of what?  I have... Read more

The summer of 2006 was a great summer.  I spent a good part of it in Ukraine. I knew very little about this country, yet I had a desire to spend my summer in a country that had once been part of the Soviet Union.  I also wanted to do something completely different, to seize an opportunity that may never come again my way.  I signed up to teach English at the English summer program of the Catholic University of... Read more

  Homily for the First Sunday of Lent In today’s readings we hear a beautiful Scriptural summary of salvation history: Adam and Eve don’t resist temptation and sin through their disobedience.  Jesus, on the other hand, resists temptation and does not sin through his obedience.  It’s a perfect contrast.  Saint Paul stresses this contrast in his letter to the Romans, “for just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so, through the obedience of... Read more

Recuerdo bien el día que cumplí veintiún años ya que era miércoles de cenizas. El día que celebra el llegar a la madurez como adulto con toda la alegría y el triunfo de la juventud inició para mí con las palabras “recuerda que polvo eres y que al polvo volverás” mientras un sacerdote imponía cenizas en mi frente durante la Misa a las 6:30 de la mañana.  Recordé la lección de ese día hace unas semanas cuando me di cuenta... Read more

A very ancient tradition still thrives in Rome, the Lenten Station Churches. During the pontificate of Pope Gregory the Great (6th century) each day of Lent was linked with a particular church of the city. In the olden days the Bishop of Rome would visit each church on its particular day as a means to foster unity within the Roman Church. In modern times, the Pope no longer visits every church during Lent, but does celebrate Mass on Ash Wednesday... Read more

I remember my twenty-first birthday well.  It fell of Ash Wednesday.  The day that celebrates entry into adulthood with all the joy and triumph of youth began for me with the words “remember that you are dust and that to dust you will return” as a priest imposed ashes on my forehead at 6:30am Mass.  I recalled the lesson of that day some weeks ago when I realized that once again my birthday would fall on Ash Wednesday. At the... Read more

Eleven years ago or so things for my family were in disarray.  My father was ill, we were in the process of selling our house in Augusta, my mom and dad were in Peru, my sister who had planned her wedding in Augusta was now re-planning it in Peru and I was in the middle of my first year in seminary.  I was stressed, I was anxious. While I was home for break I went out with my nephew who... Read more